The most prestigious of the military decorations available to those in the Capellan Confederation, the Baton of Illustrious Service was used to recognise those who have served the interests of House Liao, either under extreme risk or extreme hardship, and who had done so to an extent far beyond the normal call of duty.[1][2][3]While the Baton was a military decoration it wasn't unheard of for a civilian to receive the award - past recipients included a few of the Sheng nobility and a President of Ceres Metals - but by far the greater number were awarded to members of the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces. All of those considered for the award were subject to an investigation conducted by a special team of Maskirovka agents and officers from the CCAF, to ensure that not only was the award deserved but that the recipient was an upstanding citizen worthy of the recognition it brings.[1][2]The Baton had no accompanying ribbon or medal, and had to instead be carried; awarded personally by the Chancellor,[1][2][3] each Baton was thirty-five centimeters long and covered with a white leather braid. At the center of the baton was the crest of the Confederation, etched and enamelled on a gold setting, and at the base of the Baton Han ideograms picked out one of Mao Zedong's sayings: "Wherever our comrades go, they remain a part of us." In social settings, the recipient of a Baton was considered the equivalent of a sang-shao in terms of rank, and all of those below this rank were required to salute the bearer.[1][2]

The Chancellor's Colors

Associated with the Capellan Hussars, the Chancellor's Colors was a tradition that dates back to an ancient dynasty on Terra named the Han. Only the Han emperor was allowed to employ the color gold, and the emperor shared that with his favored military and civilian advisors; in keeping with this tradition, uniforms and 'Mechs within the CCAF could only use gold at the prerogative of the Chancellor. While a brassy substitute was in common usage, to be able to use actual gold was a point of immense pride. As the premiere line regiment within the CCAF, the Hussars were allowed to wear gold silk cravats with their uniforms, and to add touches of gold paint on the 'Mechs and fighters.[1][2]

Citation for Meritorious House Service

A relatively common civilian award,[1][2] the Citation for Meritorious House Service was presented by local Diems to citizens whose actions have proven worthy of emulation by their fellow citizens.[1][2][4]The decoration consisted of an inverted green triangle set over a disk; the disk was embossed with a red and black yin-yang symbol.[1][2]

Civil Seal of Valor and Sacrifice

The highest of the civilian awards[1][2] and awarded personally by the Chancellor, the Civil Seal of Valor and Sacrifice was awarded to those who have aided the Capellan armed forces in wartime at grave personal risk or loss.[1][2][4] The recipients deeds were detailed on a rice-paper scroll in Han ideograms, and the conferring of the award carried a number of special privileges on the recipient and their family. The family are given special preference in education for their children or choice of selection for any branch of the civil service for which they qualify. At the Chancellor's prerogative he may also confer a small landhold to the recipient with the seal. All of those nominated for the Civil Seal are investigated by the Maskirovka beforehand to ensure that nothing politically embarrassing occurs.[1][2]

Cluster of Conspicuous Heroism

To qualify for the Cluster of Conspicuous Heroism a warrior must have displayed extreme bravery under fire in aid of their comrades,[1][2][3] and both the CCAF and Maskirovka conducted a background check to confirm that potential recipients are worthy.[1][2] Although the Cluster was most commonly awarded to MechWarriors, those from other branches of the armed forces were eligible to receive the award,[1][2][3] which was presented at the appropriate commonality capital by a jiang-jun.[1][2]The award consisted of a dao sword and the wreathed jiang-jun rank device that served as the seal of the Strategios, set on a triangular base.[1][2]

Confederation Master at Arms

To qualify for the Confederation Master at Arms award a warrior must have proven his mastery of the battlefield. The exact conditions for determining such proof vary; typically, the Confederation Master of Arms award was conferred for such acts as the refinement of a theoretical grand stratagem or for inventing and proving a new tactic for use on the battlefield. Some of those who qualified for the award have been commanders who have proven themselves to be masters at combined-arms deployments; others recipients included individuals who fought through the infantry and into the armor force, and who had then later risen through the ranks to command an aerospace wing or a BattleMech regiment.[1][2]The award was presented by the Confederation's Strategic Military Director, and the process for earning the award began with the recipient being nominated by a military officer of at least the rank of sang-shao. That officer's nomination then had to be conferred by a jiang-jun, and the paperwork and any supporting evidence - including video testimony and gun-camera footage as appropriate - had to be forwarded to the Capella War College for a review, which could take up to a year.[1]The award itself consisted of an inverted triangle formed by three miniature silver dao swords connected point-to-hilt; framed by the swords was a jade field on which a gold yin-yang symbol had been etched, and each corner of the field bore a Han ideogram. The three ideograms represented Mind, Spirit and Weapons.[1][2]

Duchy Citation Award

The Duchy Citation award was presented to those units that had performed above and beyond the call of duty whilst in service to the St. Ives Compact or St. Ives Commonality, and only a handful of units had earned a Duchy Citation prior to the Jihad. Examples of the conduct that earned the award included the performance of the First St. Ives Lancers on Operation BULLDOG and the Second St. Ives Lancers on Operation SERPENT.[1]The award took two forms; a unit was entitled to display a gold ribbon bordered in gold leaf on their standard, and individual members of that unit were entitled to display a similar ribbon on their dress uniforms.[1][2]

Grand Cordon of Merit

All military personnel were eligible for the Grand Cordon of Merit, regardless of rank or branch of service. The award was bestowed on those who had acted above and beyond the normal demands of duty in the defense of the Confederation,[1][2][3] and those receiving the award were usually presented with their award in a ceremony used as a preliminary to the presentation of a Cluster of Conspicuous Heroism. In the absence of such a presentation, the Grand Cordon was delivered by an officer of at least sang-shao rank.[1][2]The Grand Cordon of Merit consisted of a red disk on which a wreath framed concentric circles made of different materials; the outer circle was jade circle symbolized House Liao, while a thinner gold circle represented the Chancellor. Set in the center of the red disk was the tri-blade symbol representing the 'Mech, aerospace and conventional forces of the CCAF.[1][2]

Liao Sunburst of Gallantry

First created as an award for those who performed admirably against the Federated Suns,[1][2] the Liao Sunburst of Gallantry was a relatively common military decoration and was given to those who had demonstrated heroism under fire. Members of any rank and branch of service were considered eligible[1][2][3] and the award was presented to the recipient by their commanding officer.[1][2]The Liao Sunburst of Gallantry was a circular device vaguely reminiscent of the sunburst associated with House Davion.[1][2]

Order of the Legion of Liao

To be eligible for membership of the Order of the Legion of Liao a potential recipient had to be nominated by either local nobility or a commanding officer[1][2] for unique self-sacrifice in the defense of the Confederation[1][2][4] or another, similarly grand contribution. Such nominations had to be confirmed as being appropriate by either a Diem or Refrector, and could only be named members of the order by a duke or duchess.[1][2]The medal associated with the Order of the Legion of Liao consisted of a green cross of Liao embossed with a Confederation crest. Those who earned the award were also given preferential choice in their choice of education, civil service placement or military promotion.[1][2]

St. Ives Legion of Honor

The St. Ives Legion of Honor was unique in that it was the only decoration St. Ives military commendation that can also be awarded to civilians, and it was only awarded for service to St. Ives that had been well beyond expectations and which had often included personal sacrifice. Those inducted into the Legion were also given a landhold and a noble title on their homeworld as a part of the award.[1][2]The award decoration consisted of a platinum disc emblazoned with a mailed fist holding a sword, set against the stars of the St. Ives Compact. The disc was worn on a crimson ribbon.[1][2]

Functioning as a peace-keeping force immediately following its public unveiling, the Com Guard never had the need of military decorations as it (supposedly) did not engage in any non-defensive military actions. This changed with the Guards involvement in the Battle of Tukayyid and increasing role in Inner Sphere affairs, with Precentor MartialAnastasius Focht introducing a number of number of decorations to commemorate their achievements.[5]

ComStar

Award

Information

Tukayyid Campaign Ribbons

A two-centimeter ribbon awarded to each member of the Com Guards who fought in the Battle of Tukayyid, with a different color to indicate which Clan they faced. A number of divisions faced multiple Clans and thus a few warriors wear multiple ribbons. The colors are gray for Clan Smoke Jaguar, midnight blue for Clan Nova Cat, sky blue with white horizontal stripes for Clan Ghost Bear, scarlet for Clan Wolf, white for Clan Diamond Shark and green for Clan Jade Falcon. A black star on the ribbon indicates each Clan BattleMech or fighter defeated by the wearer, while a silver star shows that the wearer was injured during the battle. [5][6]

Star League Awards

Awarded to Com Guard troops who have served as part of the modern Star League Defense Force, the Star League Awards take the form of a two-centimeter silver Cameron Star hung from variously-colored campaign ribbons. Like the Tukayyid Campaign Ribbons, each action has a unique color, white for Operation Bulldog with silver bars baring the name of each planet fought on, blood red for Task Force Serpent with a silver bar listing the name of each battle fought, with a black bar added to either if the wearer took part in the Great Refusal. Those who served during the SLDF's peacekeeping efforts in the Chaos March and the St. Ives Compact received a two-tone green ribbon. [6]

A silver, twelve pointed star mounted on a red and white ribbon, the Star of Honor is awarded for acts of extreme valor. The award automatically grants the receiver a promotion to the next rank in ComStar, or five years seniority if the receiver is already a Precentor. A total of 146 Stars of Honor were awarded in wake of the Battle of Tukayyid. [5][6]

Awarded to officers, the Bushido Blade is awarded in recognition of the demonstration of great courage or leadership on the field of battle.[7][8]The award consisted of a five-centimeter red circle divided by a black katana sword and was worn on the left breast pocket of dress uniforms.[7][8]

The Fledgling

The Fledgling was awarded by the Warlord of the Pesht Military District. The award was presented to green chu-is who have performed beyond their expected limits, but cannot be worn once the recipient has reached the rank of tai-i or higher. As the award was often received along with a promotion, many recipients never wore the award.[7][8]The Fledgling decoration consisted of a red braid which was attached just below the left collar and looped under the left arm.[7][8]

Foundation of Galedon

The Foundation of Galedon was only awarded to those serving in the Galedon Military District and was only awarded to a single individual each year. The Foundation of Galedon was awarded to a soldier in recognition of extraordinary courage and dedication to the Pillar of Steel; amongst the requirements for the award was strict adherence to bushido, although that was far from the only or even the least requirement for earning the award.[7][8]The award itself hung from a blue and silver ribbon and consisted of a black pillar around which was coiled a silver dragon. Those who had been awarded the Foundation of Galedon were also eligible to display the award on the BattleMech, aerospace fighter, Battle Armor or vehicle in the form of blue and silver bands painted on the arms, wings or turret of their vehicle.[7][8]

Guardian of the Lair

The Guardian of the Lair was awarded to those serving in the Pesht Military District who had conducted heroic actions in the defense of the District. Worn on the left breast, below all other service ribbons and medals, the award consisted of a diamond-cut smoke-colored gem mounted in a gold setting when awarded to members of the Pesht Regulars; those from units other than the Regulars who received the award received the gem mounted in a silver setting, rather than a gold setting.[7]After the defense of Luthien during the Clan Invasion the Warlord of the District, Tai-shu Ashora, received permission from Theodore Kurita to send a number of these awards to members of the Kell Hounds and Wolf's Dragoons mercenary units in recognition of their efforts during the battle.[7][8]

Glory of the Fallen Samurai

The Glory of the Fallen Samurai consisted of a banner awarded to the next of kin of a great leader who fell in battle and the etching of that fallen leader's name onto the Great Wall of Luthien alongside the names of those who fell before him. The banner itself was a black-and-red dragon banner and was awarded to the next of kin by the direct superior of the deceased. [7]Tai-shoTomoe Sakade was the first woman to be honored with the Glory of the Fallen Samurai in 3063.[8]

Honor of Wakizashi

The Honor of Wakizashi is 'awarded' to those who placed their personal or family honor above that of House Kurita and the Draconis Combine. Normally the penalty for betraying House Kurita was execution, but high-ranking persons could be granted this 'honor' instead. Upon receiving the medal, the officer drove his wakizashi into his abdomen, and his second then decapitated him immediately thereafter, allowing him to die with honor.The chain was heavy and thick, to remind recipients of the weight of honor and duty.[7][8]

Honor Tree

Awarded to a citizen of Luthien whose actions have benefited the Combine in some significant or extraordinary manner, the Keeper of the House Honor presents the citizen with a special cutting selected from her garden. Typically the cutting is a bonsai tree, but occasionally different trees have been selected, the reasons known only to the Keeper and the honored citizen. The resulting trees are jointly cared for by the Keeper's staff and the citizen, for the life of the tree. As of 3067, the oldest known Honor Tree was that awarded to optical researcher Iago NcMurphy in 2849 for his ground-breaking research that resulted miniaturization that saved the Combine billions of K-Bills in manufacturing costs annually.[8]

Katana Cluster

Consisting of a silver cast of the Kurita dragon banded with five different colors and hung from a green-and-black ribbon, the Katana Cluster was awarded annually to the MechWarrior from the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery who achieved the largest number of kills in the preceding twelve months.[7][8]

Kensai Kami Wreath

Notable because it is not given to the top scoring warrior of each quarter's Kensai Kami but rather the recipient's parents, guardian or closest kin, the Kensai Kami Wreath honors the wisdom and guidance of the warrior's ancestors for providing the means and opportunities for the recipient's success. First given in 2820, the award takes the form of a bronzed wreath surrounding the Kurita dragon and is meant to be placed in the entranceway of the recipient's home, or if deceased, at their memorial marker. The Wreath was reinstated in 3048 when Kanrei Theodore Kurita resurrected the Kensai Kami.[8]

Knight of New Samarkand Ribbon

The Knight of New Samarkand Ribbon was bestowed personally by the Coordinator to an officer whose tactics and strategy resulted in a victory in battle against imposing odds.[7][8]Worn on the left side of the uniform, the award consisted of a red-and-black ribbon adorned with a depiction of an oriental tiger.[7][8]

Order of the Dragon

The Order of the Dragon was the highest honor an officer could achieve. The Coordinator personally bestowed the medal, typically to those who had made large territorial gains on the Dragon's behalf. Recipients became Knights of the Order of the Dragon.[7][8]The Order of the Dragon hung on a blue-and-black ribbon and consisted of the black-on-red Kurita crest surrounded by a wreath of eight gold-tipped blue points.[7][8]

Proserpina Bar

Awarded to members of the Proserpina Hussars who demonstrate great skill or bravery against opponents, the Proserpina Bar consisted of a stylized dragon's claw made from bronze and obsidian.[7][8]Although the Proserpina Bar was unique to the Hussars, most DCMS units had similar decorations they award to their members.[7][8]

Silver Claw

The Silver Claw was awarded by the Warlord of the Dieron Military District. Silver Claws were awarded after a given campaign; a single Silver Claw was awarded to each regiment of the Dieron Regulars that participated to the campaign, and was awarded specifically to the warrior within each regiment that achieved the most confirmed kills during the campaign.[7][8]

The Silver Claw was a simple dragon-claw pendant that was only worn with informal dress. Those who received more than one Silver Claw often earned the Katana Cluster.[7][8]

White Starburst and Black Starburst of Rasalhague

Attached to a blue-and-white striped ribbon, the white starburst resembled a galaxy, with its four arms spiralling outward from the center. A silver lightning bolt was depicted in the center. Prior to the establishment of the Free Rasalhague Republic the Warlord of the Rasalhague Military District awarded the White Starburst of Rasalhague to a soldier whose action saved the lives of civilians or fellow soldiers.[7]

The Black Starburst of Rasalhague was identical to the White Starburst except that the starburst was black. Awarded posthumously to the soldier, this medal was draped over the soldier’s coffin or buried beneath the soldier’s memorial marker.[7]Both of these awards were retained by the Free Rasalhague Republic, although the remit for awarding the medal expanded to include not just saving the lives of civilians or fellow soldiers but also other acts that served the Republic in an extraordinary fashion.[7]

Watcher of the Dragon's Eye

This certificate was awarded to a civilian who actively protected the Draconis Combine. It was awarded for deeds ranging from discovering a spy in the administration, blowing up an ammunition dump behind enemy lines [7] to the sacrifice of entire civilian population of Edo on Turtle Bay.[8] During the Third Succession War, the certificate read, “His Imperial Lordship, Duke Takashi Kurita, Unifier of Worlds, does hereby bestow upon [fill in the blank] the title of Watcher of the Dragon’s Eye because of his/her undaunted bravery in the face of the enemy. May the Dragon watch over you.”

Awarded to AFFC soldiers who had shown unflinching bravery at the risk of life and limb in service to the Federated Commonwealth, the vast bulk of those Medals of Honor to be awarded were done so posthumously. Taking the form of a Lyran Fist wielding a Federated Sword atop a engraved sunburst on a platinum disc, along with the medal itself, surviving awardees (or the immediate family of the deceased) automatically received a pension from the AFFC and preferential admission to FedCom academies and universities.[9]

Federated Commonwealth Star

One step lower than the Medal of Honor, the Federated Commonwealth Star was awarded to AFFC soldiers who had shown both unquestionable bravery and honor in combat and who had a positive and notable effect upon a major military action. The award itself was a five-pointed star made from platinum and worn as a medallion.[9]

Order of Steiner-Davion

Successor to the Order of Davion, this prestigious award was given to soldiers who had shown tremendous loyalty to the Steiner-Davion family and could only be awarded by the Archon-Prince, First Prince or Archon. Much like its predecessor, the badge itself displayed the combined Steiner-Davion family crest, a crouched fox with Steiner-blue eyes atop a blood-red shield.[9]

Pride of Sarna Medal

One of three regional wards instituted by both the AFFS and LCAF following the Fourth Succession War, the Pride of Sarna Medal was awarded to soldiers who fought bravely under fire on the worlds of the Sarna March. Like the St. Ives Diamond and the Tikonov Sword, both the AFFS and LCAF kept this award active following the formal creation of the Federated Commonwealth.[10]The Pride of Sarna Medal was a medallion made from titanium displaying the world of Sarna framed in laurel, with a Federated Sword super-imposed upon it.[10]

The Tikonov Sword

The least-frequently awarded of the three regional AFFC awards, the Tikonov Sword was awarded to those who performed bravely under fire on those worlds which had once been a part of the Tikonov Commonality within the Capellan Confederation.[10]The Tikonov Sword was a rapier with an ornate and intricate sterling-silver guard, and those who received the award were allowed to wear the sword with their dress uniforms.[10]

St. Ives Diamond

Perhaps the most-frequently awarded of the three regional awards granted by the Federated Commonwealth, the St. Ives Diamond was issued to those who displayed bravery under fire whilst defending the worlds of the St. Ives Compact.[10]The St. Ives Diamond was a diamond-shaped medallion made from silver and inset with eighteen small emeralds, each emerald representing one of the eighteen worlds of the Compact.[10]

Whilst the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns had a wide range of awards including medals and ribbons available that personnel could win, granting the most prestigious awards was the province of the High Command and the First Prince, and those awards were only awarded for heroism under fire or exemplary service to the realm.[11] Within regiments only the commander of the regiment could recommend a member of the AFFS for an award; tradition within the AFFS maintained that heroic deeds helped glorify the honor of the regiment, and that such heroic deeds were considered actions performed in the line of duty - thereby generating the risk that the personal honor of individuals could be insulted by the offer of awards for acts considered to merely be a part of fulfilling one's duty to the regiment. By making the regimental commander the focus for recommendations for higher awards, the AFFS ensured that those higher awards were legitimately deserved and those further up the chain of command would be in no doubt of the recipient's worthiness. This contrasted somewhat with the tradition amongst the Dukes of the various Marches to award medals and ribbons for acts in defense of their respective realms, to the extent that an individual trooper could soon have a dress uniform heavy with such provincial awards, making the federation government more conservative again in how it presented awards to maintain the honor and prestige associated with them.[12]

Federated Suns

Award

Information

Crucis Legion

The Crucis Legion was one of two awards that were felt to have fed into the interservice rivalries that led to the rise of the MechWarrior Cabal in the thirtieth century and eventually the MechWarrior Cabal's attempted mutiny against First Prince Peter Davion. The Crucis Legion was retired when the Order of Davion was established.[12]

Dragon Slayer's Ribbon

The Dragon Slayer's Ribbon was created by Hanse Davion and ArchonKatrina Steiner in 3024. The Ribbon was originally Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces commendation for military units who displayed exceptional performance against the forces of the Draconis Combine; the AFFS had a similar unit commendation, the Sword of St. George, but the two rulers felt that it would boost morale on both borders for the troops of each nation to see their allies flying the same commendation, as well as potentially demoralising the forces of the Combine with the same sight.[12]The first Ribbons were awarded just before the Fourth Succession War and a number of units received the award for their successful campaigning on the Draconis Front.[11][10] The last units to be awarded the Dragon Slayer's Ribbon prior to the Jihad were the Seventeenth Avalon Hussars and the Davion Assault Guards, both of whom received the award for their actions during the FedCom Civil War.[11]The ribbon itself displayed the symbol of the Draconis Combine rent by a sword; the ribbon was green and white.[11][12][10]The award was retired during the regime of Victor Steiner-Davion due to increasing closeness between the Draconis Combine and Federated Suns after the Clan Invasion.

Federated Suns Medal of Honor

Awarded to those soldiers who had displayed unflinching bravery in service to the Federated Suns and their fellow men despite risk to life and limb, a significant percentage of the total number of Medals of Honor awarded by the High Command were awarded posthumously. In addition to the award itself, living recipients of the Medal of Honor and the families of deceased recipients received an AFFS pension and preferential admission to universities and military academies within the Federated Suns.[11]The Federated Suns Medal of Honor was a renamed iteration of the Federated Commonwealth Medal of Honor, and was kept on the books after the FedCom Civil War, although none of these awards were issued between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the Jihad.[11]The Medal of Honor consisted of a platinum disk showing a gloved hand wielding a sword set upon a sunburst.[11]

Federated Suns Star

Awarded to those soldiers who displayed unquestioning bravery and honor while under combat conditions, the bestowing of a Federated Suns Star acknowledged that the recipient had performed actions that had been demonstrated to have a positive and measurable impact upon a major military endeavor.[11]The Federated Suns Star took the form of a platinum medallion in the shape of a five-pointed star.[11]

Knight of the Federated Suns

As with being granted membership of the Order of Davion, being made a Knight of the Federated Suns was a lifetime award; membership of the Knights was highly limited as only one hundred Knights had been allowed to serve at any one time[11][12] since the establishment of the Order just before the start of the Succession Wars.[12][10] Those granted membership were considered part of an elite group of unquestioned leaders, whether they were civilians of members of the military, and along with membership of the Knights the granting of this award also brought a generous annual stipend and a land grant.[11][12][10]Membership of the Order was open to any Federated Suns citizen, regardless of status or occupation, but membership had to be approved by the Royal Court; it was of the utmost importance that any potential candidate have demonstrated both unswerving devotion to the nation and unquestionable expertise in his or her profession. The vast majority of the Order's membership hailed from the military, but the Order also counted individuals from numerous other trades and professions amongst its ranks, including artists, economists, poets, politicians and even a former prostitute. When it was first established, the Order was a clear imitation of the Order of the Star established by the Star League, but the prominence of the Knights continued to grow long after the demise of the Star League.[12]The insignia worn by members of the Knights of the Federated Suns consisted of a Federated Sunburst embossed with the silhouette of a man or woman holding a sword above his or her head. Whether the insignia depicted the silhouette of a man or a woman was dependent upon the gender of the recipient.[11][12][10] The Order met in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Avalon City for formal meetings, and during those meetings the Knights wore long capes fashioned from ermine and fox fur. Tradition also dictated that members of the Order also carried a sword in one hand and the holy words of each individual Knight's religion in the other, although by the end of the Third Succession War the Knights had taken to carrying copies of the Unfinished Book during formal occasions.[12]

Limp Sword Flag

The Limp Sword Flag was granted in acknowledgement of a successful action in which a heavy blow was struck against the Capellan Confederation, and dozens of individual units received the award after the Fourth Succession War.[11][10]The Limp Sword Flag took the form of a smashed BattleMech hand holding a dropping sword, set against an inverted green triangle on a black background.[11][10]It was originally created by a soldier who was defacing a 'Mech he had destroyed with a symbol mocking the CCAF and insulting the reigning Chancellor at the same time over his inability to sire children. It was later adopted as an award after many soldiers carried on the tradition.[12]

Order of Davion

The Order of Davion was established in 2965, ten years after the attempted mutiny against First Prince Peter Davion by the MechWarrior Cabal. The Order of Davion replaced two earlier awards, the Crucis Legion and the Order of Valor as it was felt that the older awards had fed into the interservice rivalries that led to the MechWarrior mutiny.[12] The Order of Davion was only granted to those soldiers who had demonstrated tremendous loyalty to House Davion[11][12] and could only be granted by the First Prince; once granted, membership of the Order was for life. The reputation of the Order of Davion was tarnished during the reign of Katherine Steiner-Davion, but after the FedCom Civil War all of those Orders of Davion issued by Katherine were vacated, an act that restored the prestige associated with the award.[11]Membership of the Order of Davion was reflected in the wearing of a badge displaying the crest of the Davion family, which consisted of a blood red shield above which was set a crouched, red-eyed fox.[11][12]

Order of Valor

The Order of Valor was one of two awards felt to have contributed to the formation of the MechWarrior Cabal and the subsequent attempted mutiny launched by the Cabal against First Prince Peter Davion. The Order of Valor was disestablished with the creation of the Order of Davion ten years after the events of the mutiny.[12]

Medal Excalibur

The highest and rarest honor that an individual in the Federated Suns could be granted, the Medal Excalibur was reserved for soldiers whose actions resulted in some major military or social advancement of the Federated Suns.[11][9][12] The Medal Excalibur was awarded just thirty times between the fall of the Star League and the end of the Third Succession War,[12] and despite the numerous and wide-ranging conflicts of the thirty-first century less than thirty-five Medals Excalibur had been awarded in total by the beginning of the Jihad.[11][9] The first person to be awarded the Medal Excalibur was Lieutenant ColonelJessica Dewitt of the Third Avalon Hussars for the actions of her and a small band of volunteers when holding back forces from the Draconis Combine to allow the evacuation of Robinson.[12]The medal itself consisted of a gold disc engraved with legendary sword Excalibur embedded in an anvil[9][11][12] with the Federated Sunburst behind it.[12] Those who received the Medal Excalibur also had the title "Knight of the Realm" bestowed upon them,[11][9] and received a land grant.[11][9][12] Tradition dictated that the Medal Excalibur be worn on the dress uniform, rather than pinned to the Sunburst Vest alongside other medals. It was also notable that members of House Davion were ineligible for the medal.[12]

Robinson Medal of Valor

Similar in many ways to the Syrtis Medal of Honor,[11][12][10] the Robinson Medal of Valor was also often granted for political reasons[11][10] and could only be awarded by the commander of the Draconis March. The Medal of Valor was officially bestowed to recognise troops who while in service to the Draconis March had gone above and beyond the call of duty.[11][12]The Medal of Valor took the form of a burnished red disk emblazoned with a Sunburst and Federated Suns Sword over a star of David.[11][12][10]Receiving the Medal of Valor also bestowed the title "Knight Defender of the Draconis March" on the recipient.[12]

Sunburst Medal

Issued to soldiers and civilians for exceptional duty, devotion, and sacrifice in the name of the Federated Suns, a Sunburst Medal was awarded for heroic actions of importance or significance to the entire Federated Suns.[11][9][12] Whilst many recipients were awarded the medal for military actions such as stemming a crucial enemy attack, the award of a Sunburst Medal wasn't limited to the military; there were instances of a Sunburst Medal being award to those who performed a courageous political or even economic action that was determined to be of great important to the entire nation.[12]The Sunburst Medal could be awarded at one of three ranks: Silver, Gold, and Diamond.[11][9][12] The Diamond, being highest rank of Sunburst, was worn on the opposite breast of the a dress uniform to a soldier's other ribbons and medals.[11][9][12] The medal was referred to by its ranking: Silver Sunburst, Golden Sunburst, Diamond Sunburst.[11][9]The medal itself consisted of a black disk marked with a silver, gold or diamond sunburst.[11][12]

Sword of St. George

The Sword of St. George was a unit commendation awarded to units that had performed exceptionally well against forces from the Draconis Combine. The Sword of St. George was effectively retired from use when the AFFS adopted the Dragon Slayer's Ribbon.[12]

Syrtis Medal of Honor

Awarding the Syrtis Medal of Honor was strictly the provenance of the commander of the Capellan March Command, and the Medal of Honor was only awarded to those troops serving under his or her command. The recipients of the Medal of Honor were also given the right to use the title "Knight of the Capellan People".[11][10] It was relatively common for the Medal of Honor to be awarded for political reasons[11] particularly during the rule of Duke Michael Hasek-Davion.[12]The Medal of Honor was a diamond-shaped and was made from a mix of gold, silver and highly-polished[11][12][10] black[12] BattleMech armor.[11][12][10]

Named for the heroic sacrifice of KaptenTyra Miraborg, the Miraborg Cross was the KungsArme's most sought after decoration for Aerospace pilots, awarded to pilots who had five confirmed Clan fighter kills. Conferring an automatic promotion for the pilot and their standard wingmate, if any, the gold cross took the form of a square with all four sides extending out and tapering. [13]

White Starburst and Black Starburst of Rasalhague

One of the few Combine-era decorations retained by the Republic, the two Starbursts of Rasalhague were awarded by the Överbefälhavare to any DCMS solider whose actions saved the lives of Rasalhague citizens or otherwise served the Republic some extraordinary fashion. Attached to a blue-and-white striped ribbon, the white starburst resembles a galaxy, with its four arms spiralling from the center and a silver lightning bolt was depicted in the center, while the posthumous Black version changed the starburst to black. [13]

Raiding Ribbons

The KungsArme's Raiding Ribbions indicatd the recipient's involvement in a successful raid against Clan forces on captured Republic worlds, with a separate color for each Clan: brown for Clan Wolf, green for the Jade Falcons, blue for the Ghost Bears and most rare of all, red for the Steel Vipers. [13]

Tyr's Hand

Named for the Norse god who sacrificed one of his hands to trick the wolf Fenrir, Tyr's Hand was awarded to any soldier who sacrificed (or makes a notable attempt to) his life to save his comrades or civilians. Often awarded posthumously, the Tyr's Hand took the form of a golden medal shaped like two crossed arms, the left lacking a hand, worn hanging from a black-white ribbon.[13]

Possessed of a particular affection for pomp and ceremony, the Free Worlds League established a number of awards, all intended to boost the morale and spirit of their fighting troops; with most MechWarriors and aerospace pilots qualifying for at least one-higher level award, the personnel of the Free Worlds League Military looked suitably impressive when in full dress uniform.[14]

Free Worlds League

Award

Information

Allison's Chain

Awarded each year by the Captain-General, the Allison's Chain represented the FWLM unit that had demonstrated the most valor under fire during the previous year. Named for Harlon Allison, the former Duke of Oriente, the award took the form of a three-strand chain fashioned from gold, silver and platinum which the winning unit traditionally displayed by wrapping it around their regimental standard. Prior to the Jihad tradition maintained that no pennant adorned with the chain had ever fallen to the enemy.[14][15][16] Mercenary units were eligible to be awarded Allison's chain whilst in service to the Free Worlds.[14]

Conquest Ribbons

Awarded for participation in the conquest or liberation of a planet, Conquest Ribbons also used the same color-coding system as the Raiding Ribbons, adding a purple border[14] and the name of the planet embroidered in black text.[15][16] Originally, the color of the thread used for the text varied, with white thread being used for conquests on the Lyran front and black for conquests on the Capellan front.[14]

The Crest of the Eagle

The Crest of the Eagle was formally established during the tenure of Captain-General Kenyon Marik, who bore the nickname "The Eagle".[14]Awarded to Free Worlds League Military MechWarriors who played key roles in successful campaigns, the Crest of the Eagle was generally given to formations of battalion size or greater, with many veteran League MechWarriors earning a number of Crests during their military service. The award of a Crest was subject to approval by Parliament[14][17][16] - although, by the thirty-first century, this was little more than a formality that served to allow members of Parliament to sing the praises of the units from their respective provinces and worlds[14] - with the Captain-General nominating deserving units to Parliament for their approval. The Crest was displayed on a scarlet or purple sash.[14][17][16]

Defensive Operations Ribbons

Instituted by Thomas Marik,[15] the Defensive Operations Ribbons indicated the successful defense from outside aggression. Each Defensive Operations Ribbon consisted of a purple ribbon with green edging, embroidered with the name of the world that had been defended; the color of the embroidery signified the origin of the attacker and used the same color scheme as the Raiding Ribbons.[15][16]

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Awards were a series of medals representing the recorded kills claimed by the recipient. The award took the form of a bronze leaf-shaped lapel pin inset with a gemstone. The gemstone inset into the pin signified the tonnage of the enemy kills claimed; ruby signified that 500 tons of enemy 'Mechs or fighters have been disabled or destroyed, while emerald signified 1,000 tons, sapphire signified 2,500 tons and diamond signified 5,000 tons. For each 5,000 tons beyond the first 5,000 an additional diamond-inset pin was awarded.[14][18][16] Distinguished Service Awards were considered heirlooms and were passed down within families across the generations; if the stone from a Distinguished Service Award was ever offered for sale, it was a sign of true desperation on a part of the owning family or House.[14]

Hall of Heroes

Induction into the Hall of Heroes was the greatest military honor awarded by League. The order maintained seven halls across the League, with the individual hall-masters determining the requirement for issuing invitations to join. Invariably those inducted into the Hall had performed a great service or act of heroism for the FWLM or performed a similarly significant contribution to the military. Whilst any living member could use the title "Hero of the League", the greater proportion of members are inducted posthumously via a dedication ceremony; living recipients received a much more elaborate ceremony.[15][16] Of the seven halls, the most prestigious - and famous - were the Marik Hall, located on Atreus and the Orloff Hall, located on Vanra.[16]

Life Service Medal

Awarded by the Captain-General, the Life Service Medal was an etched silver eagle's head mounted on a black ribbon and was automatically earned upon reaching 20 years of continuous service in the FWLM. For each additional decade in service beyond the first twenty an extra bar was added to the Medal's ribbon. The medal was derisively referred to as the "Old Buzzard's Crest"[15][16] or the "Chicken Hawk's Crest"[16] by many younger officers.[15][16]

Order of the Saber

The highest decoration awarded by the Free Worlds League, induction into the Order of the Saber was personally received from the Captain-General and recognised extraordinary heroism. The Order maintained chapter houses on a number of worlds across the League where members in need could receive free food and lodging.[14][15][16] The first four chapter houses were created on Atreus, Harmony, New Olympia and Orloff and were constructed shortly after the first Marik Civil War in 2737. These first four houses were protected fiercely by members of the Order, and were the subject of speculative rumors stating that technological artifacts predating the Succession Wars were contained within each chapter house.[14]

Oriente Legion of Merit

The highest decoration awarded by the Duchy of Oriente, the Legion of Merit was primarily awarded to the Duchy's provincial forces, the Fusiliers of Oriente and the Oriente Hussars. Conferring on the recipient membership in an honorable society of the same name,[14][15] there were exceptional cases were members of units from formations other than the Fusiliers and the Hussars but which were stationed in the Duchy received the award.[16] The decision on whether to issue the award was made by a three-person committee comprised of the commanding officer of each of the Fusiliers of Oriente and Oriente Hussars brigades and the current Duke of Oriente.[14]The award took the form of pin of crossed swords over a palm branch worn on the right lapel of a dress uniform. Tassels that hung beneath the pin showed the amount of time in the legion, with each red tassel indicating one year and each blue tassel denoting five years.[14][15][16]

Raiding Ribbons

Awarded to units with significant involvement in successful raiding missions, each Raiding Ribbon was color-coded to indicate the realm that had been raided; blue signified a raid against the Lyran Commonwealth or Lyran Alliance, gold the Capellan Confederation, red the Federated Commonwealth and green a minor Periphery power. Some of the bolder recipients of a Raiding Ribbon painted slashes of the same color on their 'Mech or fighter to advertise their exploits.[14][15][16]

Regulan Ankh

The official medal of honor for units from the Principality of Regulus,[14][15][16] the Regulan Ankh was awarded to the Regulan Hussars and other units who serve the Regulan state with distinction.[15] Traditionally accompanied by a land grant,[14][15] the Ankh was forged from white gold set with turquoise and was alleged to provider the wearer a reserve of strength in times of need.[14][15][16]

The Silver Cross

Frequently awarded posthumously, the Silver Cross was the League's highest decoration for AeroSpace pilots and is awarded for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. The award followed the pattern of the ancient Terran Maltese Cross with the addition of a diamond set in its center, and conferred a knighthood on the recipient.[14][17][16] A number of recipients of the Silver Cross started an organization named "The Order of the Silver Cross" in mimicry of the "Order of the Saber"[17][16] with the intention of countering alleged bias towards MechWarriors in the FWLM, although the Order remained a form of loyal opposition even when disagreeing with decisions made by the Captain-General.[16]The Silver Cross was established as an award during the Reunification War and was first awarded to pilots fighting in the campaign against the Magistracy of Canopus. Tradition dictated that if a recipient of the Silver Cross encountered another individual fraudulently wearing a Silver Cross awarded to another person, the recipient was obliged to challenge the offending party to a duel.[14]

The Lyran Commonwealth - and, for its brief existence, the Lyran Alliance - issued a number of awards intended to reward exemplary service. Many of the awards issued were relatively minor, particularly as the Commonwealth had a tradition of awarding campaign ribbons for more than direct combat deployments, allowing even those who hadn't seen combat to qualify for a variety of ribbons and medals denoting where and against whom they served. Whilst this practise was derided by many as an act of vanity, a number of awards demanded a higher degree of service or bravery.[19] The campaign ribbons issued were generally very similar in design; most consisted of two-centimeter silver discs hung on blue ribbons. The Silver discs were inscribed with the relevant world and date of service; those commemorating Lyran victories were larger and more ostentatious than those signifying defeats. When signifying battles the blue ribbons were intertwined with colored threads, with the colors representing the opponents faced in battle; green signified the Capellan Confederation, red the Draconis Combine, gold the Federated Suns, purple the Free Worlds League and black the Clans.[20]

Lyran Commonwealth/Lyran Alliance

Award

Information

Alliance Star

The retained Lyran Alliance version of the Federated Commonwealth Star, the Alliance Star was awarded in recognition for uncommon acts of bravery and honor in combat situation that benefitted the Lyran military.[19][20]The medal was a five-pointed star made of platinum and hung from a red ribbon worn around the recipient's neck.[19][20]

Commonwealth Medal of Honor/Alliance Medal of Honor

The Commonwealth Medal of Honor (and, briefly, the Alliance Medal of Honor) was the highest award the Lyran nation could give to an individual and was awarded in recognition of uncommon valor and self-sacrifice. Living recipients were also inducted into the Knights of Donegal, although a significant number of the Medals were awarded posthumously.[19][21][22]The exact form of the Medal of Honor varied slightly. The basic medal consisted of a large silver disk with a gold star set on it, and hung on a green-and-silver ribbon. The ribbon supporting the medal hung from a gold bar, divided into either three or five segments; the Commonwealth Medal of Honor had a three-segment bar,[21] while the Alliance Medal of Honor had a five-segment bar; the bar on the Commonwealth Medal symbolised the three nations that came together to form the Commonwealth, while the bar on the Alliance Medal symbolised the five provinces of the Lyran Alliance.[22] Both the Commonwealth and Alliance Medal of Honor were available in three grades, each of which had it's own signifier - a silver bar, a gold oak leaf cluster or a diamond cluster.[19][21][22]

Dragonslayer's Ribbon

Awarded to regiments that had performed with exceptional skill against the forces of the Draconis Combine,[19][21][23] the Dragonslayer's Ribbon took two forms. Both the Commonwealth iteration and the Alliance iteration of the Dragonslayer's Ribbon used a green-and-white pennant hung from the regimental standard,[19][21][23] but ArchonKatherine Steiner-Davion added a depiction of the dragon of the Draconis Combine being throttled by a Steiner fist to the banner[19][23] where the Commonwealth Ribbon merely displayed the Kurita crest.[19][21][23] The Alliance iteration of the award was only issued once - to the First Skye Jaegers - prior to the end of the FedCom Civil War, and Archon Peter Steiner-Davion ordered that the dragon-and-fist emblem be removed from the Ribbon.[19]

Eagle's Feather

Similar to the Dragonslayer's Ribbon, the The Eagle’s Feather was awarded to regiments that had performed with exceptional skill against the forces of the Free Worlds League. Unlike the Dragonslayer's Ribbon the award is an actual black tail feather from the rare Atreus fighting eagle and was displayed in the recipient unit's officer's mess.[19][21][23] Mercenary units in Lyran employ were eligible to win the Eagle's Feather.[21]

Falconslayer's Medallion

Introduced in the wake of the Jade Falcon Incursion in 3064, the Falconslayer's Medallion was awarded to Lyran regiments who performed with exceptional skill against Clan Jade Falcon. The award took the form of a golden disc with an engraved Steiner Fist over two crossed feathers enameled in jade green. The medallion was displayed beneath the Steiner banner in the receiving command's main lounge or briefing room.[19]

Honor of Skye

Awarded not by the Lyran High Command or Archon but instead by the leader of the Federation of Skye, the Honor of Skye was given to soldiers who demonstrated exemplary bravery while defending a planet within the Federation.[19][21][20]The medal consisted of a large gold disc which depicting an ancient Scottish warrior brandishing a claymore and was worn on an emerald green ribbon around the neck.[19][21][20]

Originally conceived as an award for non-'Mech ground force members for valor on the battlefield, the McKennsy Ground-Pounder's Medal became an award for enlisted troopers in all combat arms over time. Once the Ground-Pounder's Medal became associated with enlisted personnel across all of the services it stopped being awarded to officers; officers were instead awarded the McKennsy Hammer. The medal was a stylized representation of the full McKennsy's Hammer and was worn about the neck on a blue ribbon.[19][21][23]

McKennsy Hammer or McKennsy's Hammer

Physically the largest award issued by any military, the McKennsy Hammer took the form of a nine-kilogram silver block hammer[19][21][23] styilised after the hammer associated with the ancient Norse deity Thor,[19] and was awarded for particularly effective leadership and battlefield skills,[19][21][23] intended to represent the weight of responsibility such officers carry.[23] Normally carried only on formal occasions, a silver miniature is also pinned to the right breast of the recipients dress uniform or school rag.[19][23]

Order of Katherine Steiner

Named for the original Katherine Steiner, the Order of Katherine Steiner was reserved for Lyran aerospace and naval personnel who distinguished themselves in combat. Worn on a blue ribbon, the medal consisted of a gold Steiner Fist set against a silver propeller,[21] with a silver bar added to the ribbon for each additional time the recipient had received it.[19][23]

Order of Tamar Tigers

Awarded by the leader of the Tamar Pact or Tamar Domains[21][23] and later by the Duke or Duchess of Tamar,[19] the Order of the Tamar Tigers conferred membership in a fellowship of the same name.[21][23] The medal took the form of a large silver sunburst engraved with the insignia of the Tamar Tigers,[19][21][23]and normally took pride of place on a dress uniform or on formal clothes for retired soldiers, worn separately from other medals.[21][23] The Order of the Tiger Tamars was awarded for those acts of valor made in defense of the Lyran nation, rather than solely to honor those who served the interests of the former Tamar Pact.[19]

The Unit Citation of Merit

The Unit Citation of Merit was awarded to any regiment that had fought bravely against superior enemy numbers and emerged victorious. In addition to the unit citation, members of the regiment at the time of the victory received either the Mckennsy Ground-Pounder's Medal or the McKennsy Hammer, as appropriate.[21]The Unit Citation of Merit took the form of a long black-and-Steiner-blue ribbon which was displayed on the regimental standard.[21]

Awarded for embodiment of the Republic's ideals, the Exarch's badge was the highest award that can be given by the Republic of the Sphere and symbolised that the wearer could be considered the embodiment of Devlin Stone's ideals having met the highest standards of service. Only four recipients are selected from amongst the military or (less commonly) the civilian citizenry by the Exarch each year, based on recommendations by the Paladins. The award was presented in a ceremony at the Magnum Park in Geneva on Terra, and each was presented by the Exarch personally; those receiving the award were brought to Terra along with their families at the expense of the Republic government, and the award brought with it a sizeable monetary sum and a land grant on a planet chosen by the recipient.[25]Each Badge consisted of the ten-pointed Republic Star cast in gold; in the center of the star was an embossed image of Terra. The Badge hung on a red-and-blue ribbon, and the ribbon bore a gold crossbar inscribed with the surname of the recipient.[25]

Medal of Freedom

The Medal of Freedom was the highest of the purely civilian awards available in the Republic and was considered an approximate equivalent to the Silver Republic Cluster. Recipients for the Medal of Freedom were nominated by a governor or senator; nominations reflected actions undertaken to preserve and protect the liberty of citizens and residents of the Republic, and foreign nationals could be awarded the Medal, although this was a rare occurrence and those foreign nationals had to have performed a worthy service to the people of the Republic.[25]The Medal of Freedom consisted of a silver five-pointed star hanging on a blue and silver ribbon; adorning the ribbon was a silver crossbar inscribed with the Republic motto "AD SECURITAS PER UNITAS".[25]

Redburn Cross

Named for GeneralAndrew Redburn, any Republic soldier wounded or killed in combat was eligible for the award of a Redburn Cross. The Redburn Cross differed from the other awards given in the Republic in that there was no specific ceremony for awarding each Cross, and Crosses were normally presented to the recipients by their commanding officer once the RAF personnel administration had confirmed the recipient's eligibility. Each eligible incident could result in the award of a Redburn Cross; by 3085, just a few short years after the founding of the Republic, one individual - CorporalElias Goodspeed, a soldier within the IX Hastati Sentinels - had received no less than six Crosses for injuries sustained during the conflicts with the Capellan Confederation.[25]The Redburn Cross was made from deep crimson stone, cut in the shape of a Canterbury cross and polished, and was gilden along the edges and down each arm. In the center of the Cross was a small gold representation of the emblem of the Republic, and the Cross hung on a crimson ribbon.[25]

Republic Cluster

The Republic Cluster actually consisted of three different awards, the Gold Cluster, Silver Cluster and Bronze Cluster, and all represented either acts of merit or exemplary service on the part of the recipient. Each Cluster could also be awarded to the same recipient more than once during their lifetime or be awarded posthumously.[25]The Gold Cluster was the highest purely military decoration available in the Republic. The Gold Cluster consisted of the Republic crest cast in gold and set against a gold starburst.[25]The Silver Cluster consisted of the Republic crest cast in silver and set against a silver starburst and was the highest Republic decoration that could be awarded to non-citizens or foreign nationals.[25]The Bronze Cluster differed from the Silver and Gold Clusters in that it was usually awarded for acts undertaken outside of combat. The Bronze Cluster consisted of the Republic crest cast in bronze and set against a bronze starburst.[25]

The DeKirk Medal was awarded to diplomats and politicians for exemplary work in improving the moral stature of the government.[26][27] To qualify for the DeKirk Medal an individual had to be nominated by a district administrator in the Bureau of Star League Affairs; the various nominations were then voted on by the Star League Council members during the annual Winter Meeting. The recipient of a DeKirk Medal was usually an individual who had successfully improved the bureaucracy of the Star League, rather than making it more burdensome.[27]

Geerson Flying Cross

Named for LieutenantNamoi Geerson, the SLDF's first AeroSpace ace, the Geerson Flying Cross was awarded annually to the best AeroSpace Fighter pilot.[26][27] The Geerson Flying Cross was presented in the same ceremony as the McKenna Wheel in December of each year, and a part of the tradition was for the chosen recipient to receive the Flying Cross from the winner of the previous year.[27]

Hegemony Medal

Awarded to soldiers from the Terran Hegemony for their non-military conduct, particularly when dealing with members of the other member states, to be considered a worthy recipient of the Hegemony Medal a candidate must have performed actions that would serve as examples to others of what a Star League soldier should be. A potential recipient must also have received a nomination from an SLDF officer of the rank of Colonel or higher.[26][28]

McKenna Wheel

Issued annually, the McKenna Wheel was awarded to the crew of the WarShip selected as the best trained and most efficient within the Star League Navy, and was awarded in a ceremony overseen by the fleet admiral of the Navy in December of each year.[26][27] One of the few SLDF awards retained intact by the Clans, the McKenna Wheel was also among the awards revived by the second Star League.[29]

Medal of Valor

Awarded for gallantry and professionalism in the face of enemy forces, the Medal of Valor was a Cameron Star made from precious metals hung around the recipient's neck from a black and silver ribbon. Presented by the Commander of the SLDF and included a substantial cash bonus and automatic advancement in rank, unless the recipient was already at the rank of Colonel or higher. The recipient was also usually inducted into the Order of the Sword upon retirement.[27][26] The Medal of Valor was among the awards revived by the second Star League.[29]

Order of the Dove

Membership of the Order of the Dove was awarded to those men and women who had devoted themselves to peace, and to the unity of the Star League. The director of the BSLA was the head of the Order of the Dove, and most of those selected to become Knights of the Dove were drawn from the BSLA, although others including artists and business leaders were also chosen.[26][30]Membership of the Order entitled the recipient to wear a large medallion on a sash.[30]

Order of the Palm

Awarded to administrators who increased efficiency of the Star League or who exposed corruption within the bureaucracy.[26][30] The Order of the Palm was formed at the request of the BSLA, and the First Lord was convinced to establish the Order because of the Order's charge to expose corruption. The inspiration for the Order was believed to have been a movie from Ancient Terra in which a naval officer battled against a pompous and cruel superior officer.[30]

Order of the Star

Membership of the Order of the Star was the highest lifetime award available to both civilians and soldiers for advancing the Star League. The leader of the Order of the Star was the First Lord, and to have been chosen to become one of the one hundred Knights of the Star indicated that the chosen recipient's life was littered with examples of them advancing the Star League. The rewards of being selected to be a member of the Order of the Star included money, a grant of land, and the honor of giving their opinions to the First Lord.[26][30]

Order of the Sword

Awarded to soldiers who honored the tenets of the SLDF, membership of the Order of the Sword reflected that an individual had shown repeated bravery and adherence to the tenets of the SLDF. Those admitted to the Order were given the title "Knight of the Sword", and the head of the Order was the serving Commanding General.[26][30]Members of the Order displayed a large medallion on a sash.[30]

Shandra Noruff Ribbon

Awarded to the winners of the Martial Olympiad and named for the SLDF's first Commanding General, Shandra Noruff-Cameron, the Ribbon consisted of a wide gold and green streamer depicting a charging lion, the Noruff family symbol, with the year it was earned affixed to the ribbon in gold. Individual winners were also allowed to paint the Noruff lion on their vehicles.[26][27] The last Shandra Noruff Ribbon was awarded in 2736.[27]

Star League Medal of Honor

This was the highest award which could be given to a citizen of the Star League, either for extreme courage in combat or, if civilian, for extraordinary individual actions.[26][28] Typical actions worthy of a Medal of Honor included extreme courage upholding the honor of the SLDF in defiance of overwhelming odds, or actions that raised the standard of living for members of the Star League or led to a marked improvement in the relations between member states.[28]Presented by the First Lord himself[26] in a ceremony conducted at the Court of the Star League, the Medal of Honor also came with the honorary title "Keeper of the Star League's Honor", and it almost always[28] came with membership in either the Order of the Sword or the Order of the Dove.[26][28]The Medal of Honor consisted of Cameron Star made from precious metals and jewels hung around the recipient's neck on a blue, green and white ribbon.[26][28]

The Medal of Honor was among the awards revived by the second Star League. [29]

Star League Red Cross

The Star League Red Cross was awarded annually to either the best doctor or group of doctors and nurses who had saved lives through their actions; both military and civilian medical personnel were eligible for the award, and while it was often awarded for valor under fire, actions demonstrating exemplary service outside of combat were also eligible. One of the more famous examples of a civilian medical team receving the Red Cross was the team led by Doctor Enid Gustafsson who were responsible for isolating the vaccine that ended the 2699 Cromarty Superflu Epidemic.[27]

SLDF Campaign Ribbons

Created by the Second Star League, each uniquely colored campaign ribbon denotes which battles the recepients fought in under the banner of the new SLDF. Each two centimeter ribbon was worn on the left chest of dress uniform. [29]

Created in the wake of Operation Odysseus, the Blakist replacement for the Star of Honor, the Liberation Star, was awarded for acts of extreme valor and automatically grants the receiver a promotion to the next rank in the Word of Blake, or five years seniority if the receiver was already a Precentor. [31]

As a profession, mercenaries were largely dismissive of medals and decorations, regarding them in many cases as being little more than cheap flattery; a limited number of awards did carry more weight within the mercenary community, however.[32][33]

Mercenaries

Award

Information

The Blue Star

The Blue Star of Kerensky

The Blue Star or Blue Star of Kerensky was originally an award established by Commanding General Aleksandr Kerensky of the Star League Defense Force during the Amaris Civil War. Kerensky awarded thirty-seven Blue Stars during the Amaris Civil War in recognition of "unswerving loyalty in the face of great hardship", but the awards outlived the Star League - when Kerenksy led the bulk of the SLDF on the Exodus, all thirty-seven recipients of the Blue Star chose to remain in the Inner Sphere, refusing to break the pledges they had given. In the aftermath of the Exodus thirty-two of those thirty-seven Blue Star recipients formed the mercenary command known as the Blue Star Irregulars - three of the thirty-seven recipients having retired and passed away, and two having dropped out of sight within a year of the Exodus.[32][33]The Blue Stars became items that were passed on from person to person for several centuries; whenever a medal holder died or retired from active duty, the entire membership of the Blue Star Irregulars voted on a new recipient to take on the medal from the previous holder; previous holders were allowed to nominate a successor, and each nomination counted as fifty votes. During the existence of the Blue Star Irregulars no nomination made by a retiring member was ever overturned by the popular vote. Those nominated had to have demonstrated loyalty to the Blue Star Irregulars and a commitment to the honorable conduct of war, however.[32][33]On two occasions a holder of a Blue Star left the Blue Star Irregulars to join another mercenary command; on each occasion that individual's Blue Star was returned to the Blue Star Irregulars following that individual's death in combat. Only once was a medal actually lost due to damage in combat, and in that instance a new medal was fashioned from the metal of the Rommel-class tank operated by the warrior in question.[32]In terms of appearance each Blue Star was a piece of blue steel with a gold-etched shield in the center, and each medal was edged in red enamel.[32][33]

The Hound's Tooth

Created by the mercenary command known as the Kell Hounds in the thirty-first century, the Hound's Tooth was awarded to warriors who had fought alongside the Kell Hounds and who had done so in a fashion that earned the respect of the Hounds through a combination of skill, courage and honor, attributes strongly associated with Morgan and Patrick Kell, the two brothers responsible for founding the Kell Hounds.[32][33]The Hound's Tooth took the form of a white enamel pin shaped like a large canine tooth.[32][33]

Legion of Karsskhov

The Legion of Karsskhov award was founded by the mercenary unit known as Avanti's Angels in 3058; the award was created specifically to recognise a sacrifice made beyond the call of duty to protect either a member of the Angels or the entire of the unit. Of the first three recipients to be inducted into the Legion, two were inducted posthumously, including Brent Karsskhov, the individual for whom the award was named.[32] By 3067 five individuals had been awarded membership of the Legion - four posthumously.[33]Each individual inducted into the Legion of Karsskhov received a pledge from the Angels to extend whatever aid they could whenever the recipient requested it; each award recipient was entitled to display the emblem of the Legion, which consisted of a black silhouette of a Phoenix Hawk 'Mech flanked by two golden angelic wings, on his or her BattleMech.[32]

The Shield of Valhalla

The Shield of Valhalla award was commissioned by Lord Jarvo Parmus, a nobleman and former mercenary who lived in Silesia, a section within Solaris City on Solaris VII. The Shield was awarded to those mercenary MechWarriors who could verifiably prove that they had successfully destroyed at least one enemy BattleMech of each weight class during a mercenary contract, with the proviso that the contract had to have been taken on Solaris VII.[33]The Shield was establised as an award in 3064 and consisted of a bronze medallion in the shape of an ancient Viking helmet set against two crossed battleaxes on a circular field, and was worn on a short blue and gray ribbon.[33]

The Walls of Honor

The Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission established the Walls of Honor on Outreach in 3060 with the intent of honoring those mercenaries killed or declared missing in action during Operation BULLDOG, but the award was extended over time to include those who had been killed or lost since the Clan Wars.[33]The Walls of Honor consisted of a series of three-meter wide, five-meter tall rectangular columns of polished black marble; four such walls were in place by 3067, with two more sections due to be added. The row of marble columns stood on a special ferrocrete deck overlooking the shores of Lake Kearny, and the two additional sections were intended to honor those mercenaries who fell in the FedCom Civil War or other related combat actions.[33]Etched into each column face and lacquered in gold were the details of each of the mercenaries who had fallen; each warrior had an entry consisting of their name, the logo of the mercenary force they were a member of and the year in which he or she had fallen or was declared lost.[33]Only those mercenary commands with the highest citations for honor and excellence were allowed to add the names of their fallen warriors to the wall, and the decision on whether they were worthy or not was adjudicated by a review panel chaired by the MRBC; the panel included permanent representatives from the Kell Hounds, Northwind Highlanders and Wolf's Dragoons along with members from three other additional highly-rated mercenary commands chosen each year.[33]

The Magistracy of Canopus operated a system of lower-level awards that may be obtained through a combination of a certain degree of skill or bravery and a payment to the Magistracy Armed Forces, although the request to obtain such an award had to be endorsed by a superior officer of the rank of Colonel (or equivalent) and higher. In addition to these lower level awards the Magistracy created three awards between the founding of the Magistracy and the end of the thirty-second century that either required extraordinary levels of service to the Magistracy or which couldn't be purchased.[34] While awards in general attracted little significance, thanks in large part to recognition being a purchased commodity, the three highest awards represented excellence and loyalty, and merited respect throughout the length and breadth of the Magistracy.[35]

Magistrat of Canopus

Award

Information

The Canopus Cluster

The Canopus Cluster was the only higher-level award issued by the Magistracy that can be awarded for acts of heroism outside the military arena; while the award was partly purchased, it was also only available to those who had performed an act that spares the Magistracy harm.[34][35] The award could be given in recognition of political,[34][35] economic or even artistic achievements.[34]The award took the form of an earring molded in a twist and designed to be worn on the upper portion of the left ear.[34][35] The form of the Canopus Cluster was a manifestation of the strong female bias that always pervaded Magistracy society.[35] The metal from which the award was molded signified the nature of the act for which the award was given; platinum represented military heroism, gold represented economic accomplishment, bronze represented political achievement and brass represented any other form of service. The recipient of a Canopus Cluster could choose to donate a sum of money to add a single gemstone to the Cluster; depending upon the amount donated, the gemstone could be either a ruby (100,000 C-bills), a diamond (50,000 C-bills), an emerald (25,000 C-bills) or a lapis lazuli (10,000 C-bills).[34][35]

Fist of Raventhir

First established in 2997 to celebrate the unwavering loyalty demonstrated by the Raventhiri bloodline during their centuries of service to the Magistracy, the Fist of Raventhir was awarded by the Magestrix following a vote in which every commissioned officer in the MAF voted for the soldier they felt best exemplified such dedication. Once the votes had been cast, the Magestrix spent a month reviewing the service record of each candidate and deliberating the results before making the final choice and bestowing the award on the recipient.[34][35]The Fist of Raventhir consisted of a titanium medallion showing an armored fist holding the crest of the Magistracy in a protective grasp, and was worn on a red silk ribbon.[34][35]

Ribbon of the Magestrix

The last of the three higher-level awards to be created by the Magistracy, the Ribbon of the Magestrix was initially established to honor those Canopian units that fought during the Capellan-St. Ives War of the 3060s, although since the award was created the Ribbon was also presented to units that have taken part in bandit-hunting raids outside the borders of the Magistracy. While the citizens of the Magistracy and the personnel of the MAF came to recognise the Ribbon of the Magestrix as an appropriate addition to the various MAF honors, the award remained somewhat controversial to those units that had a history of fighting against Capellan forces.[34][35]The Ribbon of the Magestrix consisted of a black or white circular battle banner within which was displayed a stylized Magistracy logo; the colors of the award represented the type of mission that had been completed. Members of units presented with the Ribbon of the Magestrix were allowed to weave black or white ribbons into their hair when entering battle, although this remained an optional choice.[34] When the award was first created Senior GeneralHaji Doru atempted to argue that the latter display brought an air of unprofessinalism to the MAF, but his advice was overruled by the Magestrix.[35]

Within the Legiones Marianes there were five decorations available as awards for those who offered sterling service to the realm, a number of which brought with them not just the immense prestige associated with an award but also a range of financial awards or social advancement. Collectively, the five awards available represented the highest honors any Marian citizen could receive.[36][37]

Marian Hegemony

Award

Information

Aquilifer

The Aquilifer had the distinction of being a position of honor within a military unit, rather than a medal. The Aquilifer was the position given to the individual responsible for carrying the unit standrd - or "Aquila" - into battle. The soldier honored with the position of Aquilifer wore a patch on his or her uniform depicting an eagle perched atop the unit's colors, and recipients of the award were those perceived as being exemplars of the morals and standards of the professional soldier, possessing attributes that included steadfast courage in battle and pushing themselves beyond their limits when required. In battle, fellow soldiers would rally to the Aquilifer and to the flag carried from his or her BattleMech or vehicle.[36][37]

Corona Aurea

Presented to commemorate either a single-handed victory over a superior enemy or another suitable act that caused a spectacular triumph for the Hegemony, the Corona Aurea - "Crown of Gold" - consisted of a gold medallion cast in the shape of a laurel wreath.[36][37]

Corona Civica

The counterpart to the Corona Aurea, the Corona Civica or "Oak Leaf Crown" was awarded in recognition of acts of selflessness in service to others, whether those others were civilians or fellow soldiers.[36][37]The Corona Civica took the form of a silver oak-leaf cluster.[36][37]

Corona Graminea

The Corona Graminea - "Crown of Grass" - was awarded in recognition of acts of valor far beyond the call of duty. The requirements for earning such an award were extremely high, befitting the status of the Corona Graminea as the most prestigious award in the Marian Legions.[36][37] Actions that earned the award of a Corona Graminea included such examples as the actions of the Secunda Cohors of IV Legio during the conquest of Trondheimal during the campaign to annex the Illyrian Palatinate, actions that kept the Prima Cohors of IV Legio intact long enough to defeat the spirited and strenuous Illyrian defense.[36] Between the founding of the Marian Hegemony and the beginning of the Jihad the Coronoa Graminea was awarded just five times - and none of those awards were won by a plebeian.[36][37]The Corona Graminea award consisted of two physical pieces: a crown fashioned from woven grasses, and a jade medallion carved to resemble a grass blade.[37][36] The grass used to weave the crown was sourced from the world or battlefield on which the deeds that earned the award, where possible,[36] and the crown was only worn during the ceremony in which it was presented. Once the ceremony was over, the crown was preserved in the recipient's home in a suitable place of honor. In addition to the crown and medallion, each award also granted the recipient a land grant and a position within the Marian Senate.[36][37]

Order of Scipio

Named for Scipio Africanus, the famed Roman general from the history of ancient Terra, the Order of Scipio was awarded to an entire unit in recognition of an overwhelming victory achieved by that unit on the battlefield. Actions such as capturing a planetary capital qualified a unit for the Order of Scipio, and when the award was presented, all members of the unit were inducted into the Order. Those inducted into the Order were entitled to wear a pin depicting an eagle perched atop a Roman gladius, and in addition to membership of the Order the award also bestowed a pension and a small land grant on each recipient.[36][37]

The Outworlds Alliance is unusual in that it managed to remain a proudly pacifistic nation for the greater part of its existence, and the few military awards that were issued by the Alliance reflected the conscious choice by the Alliance Military Corps to recognise actions that save lives, rather than using awards in manners that could come uncomfortably close to glamorizing or glorifying warfare.[38][39]

There was one notable exception to the rule; within the aerospace community, the pilots of the Alliance Aerospace Arm granted an informal award when they bestowed the title of "ace" on pilots with five or more accredited kills. The title brought with it no medal or ribbon, but nevertheless it carried considerable prestige, and it was very unusual for the Chairman of the AAA to not be an ace.[38][39]

Outworld Alliance

Award

Information

Cerberus Cluster

The Cerberus Cluster was established as an award in 3066 and was intended to both be the equivalent of the Gallucci Cross for those forces in the Alliance Ground Defense Arm and to form part of a service-wide effort to improve morale and performance within the AGDA. As with the Gallucci Cross the Cerberus Cluster was awarded once per year to the AGDA whose combat abilities showed the greatest improvement, as judged by his or her commanding officer. The Directors within the AGDA each nominated one candidate per year - assuming that each had a candidate deemed fit to receive the award - and each candidate's nomination and recent simulator scores were submitted to the Military Review Board for adjudication. While members of the Military Review Board made the final decision on who would receive the Cerberus Cluster, simply being nominated to receive the award carried a certain cachet.[38][39]The Cerberus Cluster consisted of a brass clover leaf two inches square and hung from a blue-and-white ribbon emblazoned in silver in the middle of the clover leaf was the year in which the award was won, and as with the Gallucci Cross being selected as the recipient also brought a pay raise.[38][39]

Galluci Cross

Named for Ed Gallucci, the first accredited ace in the Alliance Military Corps, the Gallucci Cross was awarded once each year to the most improved pilot within the AAA. Although the award was officially granted by the Military Review Board, the actual winner was decided by a vote of all of the aces within the AAA, with the Military Review Board deferring to the collective judgement of the community of aces.[38]The Gallucci Cross was a brass equi-armed cross two inches square and hung from a green and white ribbon; the ribbon featured the year in which the cross was won, detailed in molded silver. In addition to the award of the Cross itself, being selected as the recipient also brought a pay raise.[38]

Pitcairn Star

The award known as the Pitcairn Star was created in honor of a soldier from another realm - ColonelElias Pitcairn, the former Davion Brigade of Guards officer who led the forces of the Pitcairn Legion in the defense of the Outworlds Alliance during the Reunification War. The Pitcairn Star was awarded to members of any unit that defied enormous odds to keep civilians safe, as judged by the Military Review Board; by the thirty-first century bandit attacks on the Alliance were common enough that ten or more Pitcairn Stars were being awarded each year, many of them posthumously.[38][39]For living recipients the Pitcairn Star consisted of an inch-wide blue-steel disc from which eight half-inch silver points radiated outwards in the eight cardinal directions, and the Star hung from a short white ribbon. Those Pitcairn Stars issued posthumously replaced the central disc with a black central disc and used a white ribbon trimmed in black.[38][39]

The Taurian Defense Force had issued enough campaign and special-achievement ribbons to make them relatively commonplace and such awards were recognised as such. In addition to the commonplace awards the TDF issues a small number of higher-level awards that recognise a higher level of accomplishment.[40][41]

Taurian Concordat

Award

Information

Concordat Sunburst

Presented by the Protector, the Concordat Sunburst was only granted to an individual or dedicated to a group that had won an awe-inspiring victory on behalf of the Concordat. Those victories that earned the award were usually victories achieved in the face of seemingly impossible odds, were nearly thwarted by unforeseeable conditions, or were of such magnitude that their amazing success demanded attention, and once a Concordat Sunburst had been awarded, a request for a Taurian Brand often followed.[40][41]The award was approximately ten centimeters in diameter and took the form of a gold disk with eight gold tines radiating outwards; each of the tines was edged in red enamel, and the Concordat emblem was displayed in the center of the disk.[40][41]

The Hyades Heart

Often awarded posthumously, the Hyades Heart was awarded to individuals who had undergone great personal sacrifice in the defense of the Concordat, sacrifices that could and did included valiant last stands. Those few to be awarded the Hyades Heart whilst still alive included those who have been left scarred and disabled to an individual who was forced to lead a fight through his village and live with the fact that he was responsible for sacrificing his family and the majority of his friends during the fight.[40][41]The Hyades Heart consisted of a white heart trimmed in gold leaf and is worn dangling from a gold and blood-red ribbon.[40][41]

The Standard of Taurus

Only issued to those soldiers who epitomize the standard to which all Taurian soldiers might aspire, the Standard of Taurus signified such attributes as extreme bravery, exceptional talent, an unimpeachable moral code or proven dedication and all have been considered worthy of the award at one time or another.[40][41]The Senior Marshal or a Corps Marshal handed out the Standard of Taurus; the award consisted of the emblem of the Concordat hanging from a gold bar.[40][41]

The Taurian Brand

The origins of the Taurian Brand predated the Taurian Concordat and were believed to have begun within the ethnic group on ancient Terra referred to as "Native Americans". The Taurian Brand became a popular military tradition amongst the TDF after the first battle between Taurian and Federated Suns forces, during which a popular Taurian naval commander took a hit across his brow from laser fire. The wound created a mask-like scar and left the commander blind, and to honor the commander and commemorate the battle many of those who survived tattooed a red mask around their eyes.[40][41]During later years the TDF used the Taurian Brand to recognise those units that had performed a feat or been involved in an action that earned them the immediate acclaim of the Taurian citizenry; in such an event, the regimental commander was allowed to request the privilege of wearing the Brand. If the request was granted, the award was presented to the unit by the senior marshal, although those looking to wear the brand had to also request permission from their battalion commander. In each generation thereafter one direct, name-bearing descendant may take the Brand. MechWarriors qualifying for the Brand were also allowed to paint the Brand on their machines.[40][41]The Brand is not always a mask over the eyes; each time the Brand is awarded the facial tattoo is different and unique to the event it was awarded for. NO person is yet known to bear more than a single Brand.

The Clans as a whole bestow very few awards; only two forms of achievement were universally recognised and awarded across the Clans, and those two were the award of a Bloodname and the issue of a Remembrance Insignia. The Remembrance Insignia was named after The Remembrance, and while the Insignia took a slightly different form from Clan to Clan, the criteria for the award remained constant: the recipient had to have merited specific mention in The Remembrance of either their own Clan or another Clan. Traditionally, the Remembrance Insignia was worn on the right breast of a uniform.[42]

The only award to be created by Clan Blood Spirit, the Blooding was considered an honor secondary only to earning a Bloodname. To be considered for a Blooding, a Blood Spirit warrior had to have been seriously injured in battle while trying to save his or her Starmates, and must also still have achieved victory. Whilst the award was considered a recognition of the warrior's commitment to their fellow warriors and to Clan Blood Spirit as a whole, such actions were also considered to be no more than what any Blood Spirit warrior should do; recognising such actions helped to reinforce the practise from generation to generation, however, and Bloodings were awarded if a minimum of ten out of the fourteen other warriors within the candidate's Trinary petitioned the Khan to have their comrade receive the award. If the votes were cast and the candidate was found worthy a Blooding medal would be bestowed in person by the Khan.[43]Worn on the left breast of the dress uniform, the Blooding medal took the form of a marbleized, blood-red Cameron Star.[43]

The highest decoration awarded by Clan Cloud Cobra, the Cross of Devotion was awarded only to those who have performed the noblest service to both their Clan and the Way. An exceedingly rare award, all Bloodnamed warriors and current bearers of the award in that warrior's cloister had to unanimously approve the warrior in question's service, as well being approved by the warrior's Galaxy Commander, ecKhan, saKhan and Khan. Taking the form of a star cluster atop a Maltese cross set over the Clan's insigna or emblazoned on the the Cross of Fellowship if the warrior was a fellow in their Cloister, the award could only be presented by the Khan, saKhan and ecKhan at a gathering of the warrior's Cluster or Cloister. Each supplementary award added an additional star cluster, the clusters balanced evenly on the cross. [44]

Cross of Fellowship

A medallion signifying fellowship in a Clan Cloud CobraCloister, the Cross of Fellowship was presented to a warrior upon their ordination within a Cloister. Each Cloister used a slightly different cross, though most took the form of a Maltese cross emblazoned with the Cloister's emblem. [44]

Remembrance Bar

Like many Clans, the Cloud Cobras awarded the Remembrance Bar to any warrior who earned a place in The Remembrance. Inscribed with the passage and verse in which the warrior was named, the Cloud Cobra variation mounted the bar above a Maltese cross set over the Clan's insignia. The bar was generally mounted above the Crosses of Fellowship and Devotion if the recipient has received those awards. [44]

Bestowed by the Coyote leadership, each individual warrior could be awarded an array of campaign and battle ribbons, as well as special citations awarded to Trinaries or Clusters by the Coyote Khans. These citations were mounted on a unit's standard and carried with pride into combat.[45]

Coyote's Claw

In some respects a more prestigious version of the Remembrance Bar, the Coyote's Claw recognized courage and honor far above the call of duty. The first part of the award was a silver coyote's paw inscribed with the details of the warrior's mention in The Remembrance, the second a light-weight gauntlet fashioned like a coyote's paw, complete with titanium-diamond claws.[45]

Remembrance Bar

Like many Clans, the Coyotes award the Remembrance Bar to any warrior who earned a place in The Remembrance. Inscribed with the passage and verse in which the warrior was named, the Coyote variation is mounted on the right breast under the Clan's insignia. [45]

Awarded by the Merchant Caste to anyone who had enhanced the profits of Clan Diamond Shark, the Diamond Fin took the form of exquisite diamond in a setting molded like a shark fin, worn as either an earring or ring. [46]

Deathstrike

The only martial decoration awarded by Clan Diamond Shark, the Deathstrike was spawned by - and named for - the Shark's Deathstrike Galaxy, awarded to MechWarriors or fighter pilots who could claim to have taken down three times their machine's tonnage in a single battle, or an Elemental when a single Point took down fifty-tons of BattleMechs without assistance. [46]

Only one form of decoration was adopted by the warriors of Clan Fire Mandrill beyond those decorations common to all of the Clans; that decoration was the Feud Ribbon. Feud Ribbons were awarded to those warriors who had slain a warrior from a Clan with which the Fire Mandrills were feuding. Whilst official feuds were uncommon, the relative availability of Feud Ribbons was a benchmark as to where relations stood between the Fire Mandrills and other Clans. A case in point was the continuing issue of Clan Burrock Feud Ribbons to individual warriors after the Absorption of the Burrocks by Clan Star Adder.[43]

Bestowed by the saKhan to one warrior per year, the Shield of Tseng was awarded to those who show selfless dedication to Clan Ghost Bear, even at the expense of their personal honor. The award took the form of a two-centimeter silver shield worn as a pin on the left collar of a warrior's dress uniform. [47]

Spear of Jorgensson

Awarded to warriors who won the Shield of Tseng a second time, the recipient instead received the Spear of Jorgensson, marking them as being among the Ghost Bear's most elite warriors. In a solemn ceremony the Ghost Bear's Khan painted a spearhead design on the Shield of Tseng's pin, using red enamel paint mixed with a drop of blood from both the Khan and the recipient. [47]

Clan Hell's Horses established only two forms of award unique to their Clan; the highest of these awards was the Mark of the Horse, which remained the most significant award short of a Bloodname or a mention in the Remembrance for Hell's Horses warriors, whilst the second decoration began fading from use in the late thirty-first century as it came to be seen as a mark of vanity and therefore something contrary to the values of unity and cooperation central to the Clans.[48]

Clan Hell's Horses

Award

Information

The Mark of the Horse

To be awarded with the Mark of the Horse a warrior from Clan Hell's Horses had to successfully complete a ritual known as the Branding. Each warrior had the opportunity to take part in the Branding rite at some point in their careers; the rite had been created to represent the founding principles of the Clan, man before machine and co-operation over glory.[48]The rite was conducted twice a year, once on Founding Day and once on the anniversary of the Exodus from the Inner Sphere; each rite saw a number of selected warriors dispatched to hunt the Circian hell's horse. The hunters had to capture a hell's horse, brand it, and then release it back into the wild; the nature of the ritual demonstrated respect for the Hell's Horses totem and the value of cooperation. Those who survived the rite had the event recorded in their codex and were awarded the Mark of the Horse by the Khan. Successfully acquiring the Mark of the Horse significantly enhanced a warrior's chance at achieving high rank in a Trial of Position or of being nominated for a Bloodname.[48]

The warriors of Clan Ice Hellion awarded two awards unique to the Clan; the first, the Remembrance Bar, was the Ice Hellion iteration of the Remembrance Insignia. The second award, Cage's Clasp, was unique to the Ice Hellions. The Ice Hellions bestowed awards in ritual ceremonies that praised Clan Ice Hellion, Nicholas Kerensky and the recipient, in that order; the ceremonies were usually held on the battlefield upon which the recipient performed the deeds that earned the award. The Ice Hellions also enforced a distinction between how freeborn and trueborn warriors were allowed to display their awards.[49]

Clan Ice Hellion

Award

Information

Cage's Clasp

Only Bloodnamed warriors were eligible to receive the award known as Cage's Clasp. The Clasp was intended to honor those who emulated Stephan Cage, the first Khan of Clan Ice Hellion, but over the years the award became more political than military in nature.[49]To earn the award, the recipient was required to have extensive contact with the other Clans, usually within the Grand Council, and the recipient must have conducted themselves honorably in those dealings. Only a Khan could judge the worthiness of a potential recipient, but an individual warrior to believed that he or she deserved the Clasp could request to undergo a modified Trial of Possession known as a "Trial of Award" during which that warrior would fight either the Khan or a warrior of the Khan's choosing in a Circle of Equals. If the potential recipient won the Trial, they were granted the award; if they lost, they were disgraced for their presumption in requesting the Trial.[49]Cage's Clasp took the form of a medallion depicting the raised profile of Stephan Cage with a pouncing Ice Hellion in the background.[49]

Remembrance Bar

To earn the Remembrance Bar an Ice Hellion warrior had to have made an exceptional sacrifice - that sacrifice typically involving loss of life, limb or personal honor - for the betterment of the entire Clan, as well as demonstrated great tenacity and skill on the battlefield. The Khan awarded a Remembrance Bar personally, and in addition to the award the recipient earned a passage in the Ice Hellion Remembrance.[49]The Remembrance Bar took the form of a small gold bar streaked with silver; engraved onto the bar were the appropriate passage, line and verse numbers. The award of a Remembrance Bar to a freeborn warrior usually resulted in that freeborn being treated without the contempt normally displayed towards the freeborn by trueborn warriors within the Clan.[49]

As a Clan, the Jade Falcons didn't believe in providing awards for actions in combat; the promotions earned from excellence in combat and the death or flushing out of those who performed poorly were sufficient. Three awards did eventually come into being, two officially and one unofficially.[50]The unofficial award took the form of kill markers, worn to denote the victories achieved by a warrior; most kill markers only lasted for the duration of the current deployment, and senior officers turned a blind eye to the practise despite the breach of the dress conformity code in the interests of maintaining morale. In some instances, a particularly notable action - such as the destruction of a DropShip by an aerospace pilot - would remain a part of that individual's livery throughout their career.[50]

Clan Jade Falcon

Award

Information

Inner Sphere Invasion Bar

Following the invasion of the Inner Sphere the Jade Falcons established the Inner Sphere Invasion Bar, which was awarded to signify the recipient taking part in combat against Inner Sphere forces during Operation REVIVAL, either during the initial waves of the invasion or in any of the raids conducted after the battle at Tukayyid. The Bar was worn on dress uniforms.[50]

Memorial Ribbon(Dark Band)

The Memorial Ribbon was unique to the Falcons. Also known as the Dark Band, the Memorial Ribbon was presented to those who had caused wasteful loss of life or sometimes the loss of resources, and who subsequently refused to undertake the Rite of Surkai. Recipients had no choice but to wear the Ribbon; the Memorial Ribbon imposed strict limits on how the recipient could interact with other warriors and could only be removed in the privacy of the recipient's own quarters, unless he or she was given permission otherwise by a superior officer. Whilst wearing a Memorial Ribbon the recipient was not allowed to speak unless spoken to first.[50]

The warriors of Clan Snow Raven were in many ways the exception amongst the Clans when it came to issuing awards; the Snow Ravens viewed awards as something that fostered a sense of teamwork amongst warriors and encouraged them to higher levels of performance. As with the other Clans, rank and position within the Snow Ravens were the primary indicators of the achievements each warrior had earned, but the Snow Ravens acknowledged that the awards had an added benefit: they provided motivation.[52]

Clan Snow Raven

Award

Information

Bloodline Pins

Every trueborn warrior within Clan Snow Raven war a Bloodline Pin. A warrior's pin signified which House that warrior belonged to; the pin was worn as a thumbnail-sized pin on the collar of dress and ceremonial uniforms and as a larger cloth patch on the left shoulder of field dress uniforms. Bloodline pins were intricate, colorful emblems; the Pins worn by Bloodnamed warriors were edged in gold, while those of unblooded warriors were edged in silver.[52]

The Kerensky Pennant

The Kerensky Pennant was awarded on an annual basis to the best-performing Cluster within the Snow Raven touman and was analogous to the McKenna Wheel awarded to the best-performing WarShip crew. In terms of appearance the Pennant was a royal blue field crossed with black bars, and was emblazoned with a white daggerstar. The unit which won the Pennant displayed it in a place of honor within its mess hall, and a selected member of the unit would carry the standard into battle. In addition to the pennant itself, those within the unit were entitled to wear a miniature version of the pennant on their collars. Any unit that lost the pennant suffered a major disgrace, and the loss provoked feuds that could last for decades.[52]

The McKenna Wheel

The Snow Ravens continued to award the McKenna Wheel to the best WarShip crew within the touman and considered the award to be a direct descendant of that issued by the Star League Defense Force during the era of the Star League. The Wheel itself was the wooden steering wheel of an ocean-going ship, and was displayed on the bridge of the winning WarShip. The crewmembers of the winning WarShip were entitled to wear a small winged lapel badge; the lapel badge was designed to be reminiscent of the original McKenna award.[52]

Order of the Raven

To earn membership of the Order of the Raven, a warrior had to have demonstrated acts of notable gallantry where he or she had put both the goals and honor of the Clan above his or her own personal goals or honor.[52]Those awarded membership of the Order were inducted in lavish ceremonies, and members were accorded great respect by the other warriors within the touman. No Snow Raven was able to hold the position of Khan, saKhan or Loremaster without being a member of the Order, nor could a warrior hold the rank of Galaxy Commander or Star Admiral unless they had received the award.[52]Those inducted into the Order wore a silver version of the Snow Raven insignia on their dress and ceremonial uniforms.[52]

When Clan Star Adder was founded, the first Khan of the Clan, Absalom Truscott, established a number of decorations based upon similar decorations that had existed within the Star League Defense Force, and which signified such things as bravery and battlefield prowess. The awards never carried the significance of SLDF awards, however; almost all of the soldiers within the Clan qualified for most of the awards upon reaching warrior status, and those few remaining awards were effectively earned when warriors earned either a Bloodname or higher rank, which rendered the awards effectively meaningless. As a consequence Khan Banacek made the decision to remove almost all of the awards. Only two of the awards persisted into the thirty-first century.[53]

Clan Star Adder

Award

Information

Kill Stripe

Warriors in Clan Star Adder wore a black ribbon on the right breast of their ceremonial and dress uniforms; the black ribbon was adorned with a number of thin vertical stripes, with each stripe representing a kill. The stripes were colored in the daggerstar color of the type of unit destroyed.[53]

Legion of Gallantry

Only the Star Adder Khan could honor a warrior with the Legion of Gallantry, and such awards were made only to recognise great accomplishments achieved in the face of extreme adversity. The award could be granted at one of three levels; each of which was signified with the bestowing of a commemorative laser pistol on the recipient. Each pistol was plated with platinum and the level of the award could be distinguished by the material from which the grip had been fashioned. The lowest level of the award was signified with a grip fashioned from ebony; the intermediate level of the award was signified by a pistol grip made from Arcadian red granite, whilst the highest level of the award earned a pistol grip carved from from the ivory tusk of an Arcadian mammoth. It was very rare for the highest level to be awarded; even an event as significant as the Absorption of Clan Burrock only resulted in the award of three of the highest level award.[53]

Usually awarded to participants in a successful Trial of Refusal against another Clan, the Honor Medal denotes an action that upholds the honor and traditions of the Steel Vipers. The medal takes the form of an ornately engraved five-centimeter by three-centimeter silver daggerstar worn on a green ribbon. Earning the award additional times adds a bar under the medal.[54]

Mercer Cross

An exceedingly rare award, the Mercer Cross is given to those warriors who make a significant and notable contribution to the Steel Viper cause. Worn on the left breast of the dress uniform, the Cross takes the form of a two-centimeter silver disc bearing the Steel Viper insignia surrounded by four two-centimeter points at each cardinal point separated by four equally spaced one-centimeter points.[54]

The Viper's Coil

Recognising the wearer's participation in combat actions in the Inner Sphere, the Viper's Coil is a three-centimeter snake about to strike. The award comes in two forms, those troops who fought against Inner Sphere forces prior to and including the Battle of Tukayyid receive a version made from gold, while those who fought in battles after Tukayyid receive one made from silver. One award is made per battle so some warriors wear multiple decorations. Those who travelled to the Inner Sphere but did not see combat do not earn the right to wear the Coil. [54]

Created after the majority of the Warden members of Clan Wolf became exiles, the Kerensky Star was a white daggerstar enameled with red. The back of the daggerstar was marked on the back with a number of famous Kerenskys; Nicholas Kerensky's name was inscribed in gold on the back of the longest point of the star, and the front of the long point was enameled red in his honor. Four of the smaller points were also enameled red, with the names of those honored inscribed on the back: Andery Kerensky, Ana Kerensky - the Wolf Khan who, during the Golden Century, fought a heroic last stand that prevented the Smoke Jaguars from capturing the Kerensky genetic legacy; the legendary Natasha Kerensky, and ilKhanUlric Kerensky.[55]The Kerensky Star was awarded to any warrior who demonstrated extraordinary devotion to both the Way of the Clans and to Clan Wolf, honoring those whose honor and deeds inspired the creation of the award. The Kerensky Star was considered a personal badge of honor by the members of the Kerensky Bloodname House, each of whom aspired to have their name be judged worthy of being inscribed on the award one day.[55]